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to hit the Gulf of Mexico since Hurricane Katrina
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and the biggest environmental catastrophe to stain our shores
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since the crash of the Exxon Valdez.
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An oil rig in the Gulf, British Petroleum's Deepwater Horizon
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50 miles off Venice, Louisiana,
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exploded into flames shortly after 2:00 PM Eastern time.
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Seven crew members have been evacuated to an area hospital
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where they remain in critical condition,
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and the Coast Guard is in the fifth hour of a search and rescue mission
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In the hope of finding 11 crew members still unaccounted for.
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Our coverage begins with Sherrie Stone
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at the US Coast Guard Station in Baton Rouge.